Photo: Mohamed Sabry Photographer / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Nile Valley Sunbird
Hedydipna metallica
Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) is a member of the Nectariniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 7.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Nectariniidae Sunbirds
- Genus Hedydipna
- Species metallica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Nectariniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Nile Valley Sunbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Nile Valley Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) is a species of bird in the Nectariniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Egypt to South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; also sw Arabian Pen.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 4.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Nile Valley Sunbird?
The Nile Valley Sunbird is a very small bird that weighs around 7.2 g.
Where does the Nile Valley Sunbird live?
The Nile Valley Sunbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Egypt to South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia; also sw Arabian Pen, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Nile Valley Sunbird belong to?
The Nile Valley Sunbird (Hedydipna metallica) belongs to the Nectariniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Nile Valley Sunbird eat?
The Nile Valley Sunbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Nile Valley Sunbird migrate?
The Nile Valley Sunbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Nile Valley Sunbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Nile Valley Sunbird make?
1 real field recording of the Nile Valley Sunbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Nile Valley Sunbird's range?
The Nile Valley Sunbird has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Nectariniidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.